If you are a Mrs. and you are a Christian, you are twice married and, assuming your husband is still living, there’s a sense in which you have two husbands. I hope, for Mrs. Colley, the sentiments below are always true of both my relationship to my husband and that to my Lord. When those who are in a covenant relationship with God become unfaithful to the vow made at baptism, they are referred to as spiritual adulterers in both testaments:

She saw that for all the adulteries of that faithless one, Israel, I had sent her away with a decree of divorce. Yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but she too went and played the whore. Jeremiah 3:8.

You adulterous people!^[c] Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. James 4:4

Many have posited that God is so hurt by spiritual adultery that He empathetically gives us the right to remarry in case of a spouse’s adultery (Matthew 19:9). He wants us to be able to recover and find comfort after the infidelity of a spouse. He knows how that feels.

But it could be true that one of the reasons marital unfaithfulness is the only acceptable scenario for remarriage is that God wanted to magnify this sin in our minds. Perhaps he wanted mankind to know how much we hurt Him when we place the things of this world–sin–in the position we once gave to God.

Or maybe it’s both. I do know this: As I occasionally speak with innocent parties, in marriages in the body of Christ, in which adultery has taken the trust, I’m left with the indisputable knowledge that the hurt is deeper than any I see in other scenarios of sin.

And yet there is forgiveness. If I’ve learned any thing from observation about the sin of marital infidelity, it’s that it’s possible to repent, gain forgiveness and put a marriage back on a fast track to happiness. Sometimes, righted early on, it’s possible to do this without damaging children, without hurting the influence of the local church, and without the eternal loss of souls. And God’s teaching us there, too. There’s time now, to right relationships with God in heaven. If you’ve walked away from the One who loves you supremely, you’ll never find that perfect love in anything the world has to offer. But, as time passes, it’s harder to undo the damage. Influence for heaven is lost. Lives are hurt. Sin complicates relationships and, most of all, it weakens your own spiritual resolve to be faithful. Don’t wait. Come back to the One who loved you first and best.

Espoused to  One Husband

II Corinthians 11:2

If I love You, I’ll believe You
Though what You’ve pledged is far away.
What You say about tomorrow
Is what’s real for me today.If I love You, then I long
To hear Your strong, assuring voice.
I will trust You with my secrets;
Honor You in every choice.If I love You, I’ll defend You
When others ridicule Your name.
If all the world denies You, still
I’ll  count but loss the shame.If I love You, I will be there
Whenever You’re expecting me.
I will love whatever You love.
Where You are, I’ll long to be.If I love You, I will trust You.
All my hopes on You rely.
But should faith and hope be passing,
Love abides to never die!

Cindy Colley

Proverbs 23:25 “May your father and mother rejoice; may she who gave you birth be joyful!”

When our children are small, we imagine nothing more rewarding nor exhausting than motherhood. We delight in the snuggles of our babies while longing for an undisturbed nap, yet consider it a victory to snatch a moment of bathroom-privacy. As our children reach school age, we grieve the loss of tiny hugs and kisses, but our hearts soar watching them develop unique personalities and talents. Then come the teen years: sweetness followed by exasperation; pride followed by painful sorrow. Allowing our children to spread their wings and fly proves more difficult than ever imagined. Such is the commonality of motherhood.

I have often pondered how all of it compares to Mary’s journey. God knits together and definitively assigns our children to us, but God had a special plan for Mary’s son. Her baby was knit with God’s own DNA. Like all first-timers, Mary entered motherhood with little experience. Was she, too, filled with insecurities? I am still amazed at being allowed to leave the hospital with our firstborn in my arms. Surely, they would have stopped me and taken him back had they only known how clueless I was of raising this blue-bundle.

One thing is certain: Mary’s motherhood presented challenges beyond our parental norms. As mother to the Prince, one might assume her to have the best that life could offer; void of heartache and surrounded by riches. This scenario was far from Mary’s reality.

Imagine raising a perfect child in an imperfect world. No other mother, friend, nor relative could relate to Mary’s situation. Because of this, did Mary ever find herself on the outskirts of the social circles of her day? And, what about us? Do we ever exclude from our circles those who fail to fit our norms?

Mary’s hardships were many. Family harmony lay in jeopardy as her home was divided by faith. She remained loyal to the truth of her son’s deity while striving to win the hearts of her other children who were unbelievers. What pain we mothers still feel when our homes are split by differences!

Mary’s ultimate heartbreak came in witnessing her son’s cruel death. This was her precious son whose birth was announced by an entire angel chorus. This was her son whom she and Joseph so desperately shielded as they fled the sword of Herod. This was her baby who nursed her breast, held her hand, sat in her lap, and napped on her shoulder as she sung sweet lullabies. Oh, what strength this mother, and every mother, must possess.

God chose Mary for His highest calling and Mary poured her life into His Son. Her boy, Jesus, grew to defy all boundaries of race, society, culture, gender, and economic standing in a way that transformed people. In spite of many heartaches, Proverbs 23 remains true: Great joy is found in motherhood.

Father God, may all mothers strive to raise children who possess the heart of Mary’s boy.

Blessings,

Rita Cochrane

During the time I worked in a public setting, I was fortunate to mostly work for those who were “believers.”  By believers, I mean that they believed in God and had some feeling of respect for the Bible. In my last job, many of the people I saw on a daily basis used some profanity and still proclaimed to be religious. Some saw nothing wrong with social drinking, but most respected that I didn’t and made no issue of it.

I’ve always been amazed at those who profess to be believers and yet easily engage in worldly activities, things the Bible condemns. This is sometimes even true of members of our church family.

It is difficult to address these issues with friends and co-workers, even under the best of circumstances. We really shy away from talking to strangers or new acquaintances about such matters. Even getting the nerve up to ask about someone’s religious beliefs or invite them to worship can be daunting, and it is especially difficult to correct someone who is teaching something that isn’t true.

We have such a wonderful example in the Bible, and I am so surprised that I haven’t related it to some of my own situations. We find the brief story in Acts 18. The teachers are Aquila and Priscilla, and the man teaching error is Apollos.

The apostle Paul met this couple in the city of Corinth. They were among the Jews forced to leave Rome by command of the emperor, Claudius. When Paul met Aquila and Priscilla, their relationship was solidified because they shared two common interests. They were Christians, and they had the same occupation. They were tentmakers.

We do not know if Paul converted this couple or if they were already Christians, but their love for Christ certainly held them together from this time forward. Paul left and sailed to Syria, and he took his friends with him. When they came to Ephesus, Paul left his friends and traveled on his own to Jerusalem. It is fortunate that they stayed because Apollos came to Ephesus. Scripture says he was “an eloquent man and mighty in the scriptures.” He was instructed in the way of the Lord, and he taught about Jesus and the baptism of John (Acts 18:24-25).

Apollos was a brave man to publicly teach when even the Jews were eager to refute the teachings of Jesus and anything John the Baptizer had taught. He stood up in the synagogue and spoke, probably at the risk of being tortured, imprisoned, or even killed. Apollos had a problem that was more important that had to be dealt with immediately. He was teaching the baptism of John, not the message of the gospel proclaimed on Pentecost. Fortunately, Aquila and Priscilla were there and heard him. They immediately took him aside and explained “the way of God more perfectly” (verse 26).

This is not so different than our hearing error taught today. The way they handled the situation is one that we need to adopt as our own way of teaching.

First, they listened. They made sure they understood the message Apollos was presenting. Second, they took him aside. They didn’t interrupt him, which would have embarrassed him. They did it quietly. Third, they taught him carefully. They didn’t reprimand him or humiliate him. They carefully taught him that John’s baptism was no longer valid, and they explained “the way of God.”

Now, look at Apollos’ response. First, Apollos was willing to be taught. Second, Apollos changed when he realized he was wrong. Third, once he knew the truth, he preached it. He would probably have had to correct publicly some of the things he had previously taught.

We know that Apollos became an important man in the life of Paul and the church. Paul spoke of him in the first chapter of First Corinthians. The church at Corinth was in a state of disagreement about a lot of things. They had divided themselves into groups as though they were following different church leaders—Paul, Apollos, and Peter. Paul makes it clear that their attitude was wrong. We know from this passage that Apollos was still teaching and baptizing.

Though Apollos knew the Old Testament well, and had been educated by the best teachers, and been instructed in the way of the Lord, and had obeyed John’s teaching, there was something he lacked. When he was taught “more perfectly,” he responded immediately.

Let’s be sure we are studying to live right and not to satisfy our own belief. Let’s take God’s Word for what He wants us to do. “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (Second Timothy 2:15 KJV). We need to also be willing to take someone aside that is teaching error and teach them the way of the Lord. Who knows? Someone we teach may one day become like Apollos.

Sandra Oliver

Most Bible class teachers believe that without memorization, there is no “storehouse” for the second and third levels of learning. They believe every student must memorize basic facts in any subject in order to have a firm foundation.

The next step for diligent and dedicated Bible class teachers is to present examples to the students based upon the memorized material in the first level.  They understand that students must practice, practice, practice—each time applying what they have memorized to various examples until their responses become automatic.

The end goal for dedicated Bible class teachers who understand 2 Peter 1:3 is to inspire their students to desire to be a complete man.

We should understand that the lowest form of learning is memorization, and leaving a student at that level leaves him with useless information. He must learn to implement the memorized material by practicing at the second level and then to originate (show understanding) at the third level before it can be said he/she has attained true academic or spiritual achievement.

The student of God’s word goes on to spiritual maturity and is able to exercise himself in the area of discerning both good and evil. He becomes skilled in the word of righteousness and goes on to perfection in the sense of having Christ formed in him (Heb. 5:13-14; 6:1; Gal. 4:19). We apply the principles of truth we have learned to the various facets of life and show understanding as we produce godly fruit in the face of testing and persecution.

The disciple grows spiritually to recognize that he can never be better than his master and perfect example (John 13:16; 1 Pet. 2:21). One of the things he learns as he grows in the grace and knowledge of God’s word is his own standing in the presence of the Almighty. The knowledge he has gained from his study causes him to revere the word and eliminates any false pride that might make him think that he can go beyond or improve upon the written words of the Bible that he has learned. (Isa. 66:1-2).

Another truth that could be pointed out, is the fact that as we grow and mature by learning the facts and applying them.  God, by this knowledge, equips us to stand on our own two feet and have our own faith. Just like Timothy, the genuine faith might dwell first in parents or elders or Bible teaches etc., but eventually must become our own so that we are established and can stand on our own like Joseph, Daniel and his friends (2 Tim. 1:5; 2 Pet. 1:5-12; Gen. 39:7-12: Dan. 1:8; 3:16-18).

For the third level:

“…all things that pertain to life and Godliness”

…through the knowledge of Him (2 Pet. 1:3)

1. First we will have some basic Bible facts to memorize. These will be our “tools” for giving the right response when the teacher asks questions in level two.
2. Second, either the parents at home or the Bible class teachers will ask students to apply those memorized facts to problem solving. They may be asked to give answers with or without scripture references, but the memorized facts should always come to mind.  At this stage you will repeat, repeat and repeat some more until the responses become automatic.
3. Third, you should be able to take the things you have learned by heart and apply them to everyday life. This is where understanding and wisdom manifest themselves.
4. This method of study should work well with any “Think on these things…” lesson. Students would memorize the basic scripture reference or application scriptures and then list ideas from day-to-day life which would apply. The application of learned facts is what brings about spiritual growth and eventually the complete man.

BUT IF THE CHILDREN YOU ARE TEACHING CAN’T READ ON THEIR OWN, WHAT OTHER VALUABLE SKILL CAN BE TAUGHT?

In a book called LEAST OF ALL, Raven Hannah, the youngest of six children and the only girl, is too little to do most things on the family farm. Finally, she learns to churn. To relieve her boredom while she churns, she holds the Bible on her lap looking carefully at Genesis 1:1, the verse her Bible class teacher has taught her to say from memory. Gradually, Raven Hannah is able to see that the words she has memorized are there before her eyes, and she spends the rest of that year teaching herself to read.  One cold winter day she shares that new skill with her family.

Beth Johnson

Chennai Teacher Training School

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Articles and Books by Beth Johnson

There is a new colony of bees in the Berglund backyard. We have dubbed it the “Republic,” referencing Ben Franklin’s warning, “If you can keep it.”

Yes, we are keeping bees, or at least making the attempt. The honey has been minimal so far, but one our goals has been to help save the declining honeybee population.

So when the call came in on the morning of the Fourth of July that there was a swarm of bees a few miles north of us, we moved quickly to rescue them.

We knew that there were no guarantees that they would stay where we put them. In fact, after doing just about everything that an experienced beekeeper might do, they did leave the hive within a few short hours.

After an hour or so of dividing themselves into two swarms and then reuniting again, they then merged and congregated on a small tree. This swarm is fickle! They had done that when we were collecting them, too.

After two attempts to put them into a hive that we moved directly below the tree branch, we gave up and asked another beekeeper to bring better equipment and take the swarm. By the time she arrived, half the swarm had moved into the hive!

This is so much like God’s people. We, as the church, sometimes mirror the nation of Israel as we follow Jehovah, settle in, then leave, then come back. The issues that entice us away from God are often just a “follow the crowd” mentality.

In the case of the bees, it may have been the case of having not one, but TWO queens in this swarm. We are aware that late season swarms like this can have multiple queens.

The nation of Israel was told by Joshua to choose!

“And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” Joshua 24:15, NKJV.

In this case, there is only one viable option. Choose the Lord!

Jesus repeated the theme as it pertains to money. “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24). Money, of course, is not the only “god” we can choose over the true and living God. Status, career advancement, social causes, and pleasure are all things that often are chosen above God.

Late swarms like this one will usually fail, because the bees have difficulty choosing which new queen to follow and choosing a place to call home. We beekeepers can help their chances, but it’s still questionable as to whether they will grow large enough over the remainder of the summer to be able to make it through the winter.

We as Christians have a ruling monarch – the Prince of Peace, Christ Jesus. We have a home in God’s family, the church. During this time of social distancing, let us not be enticed by all the other distractions and lose our focus on how to survive this life without our souls falling victim to the wiles of Satan. He seeks to destroy us by dividing us and by keeping us looking for something better than what God has provided us.

Choosing God’s way is much sweeter.

Christine (Tina) Berglund

Did you ever have that one friend back in junior high that acted like your best friend at church but then when you saw her at school, she acted like she didn’t know you? Perhaps she was ashamed of you when she was with her other friends because you weren’t cool enough for the school crowd. Do you remember how that made you feel?

That kind of juvenile behavior is unfortunate but not surprising. Young people can struggle with insecurities. They want to be seen in a certain light to be accepted by certain groups. And that objective becomes a stronger motivation than caring about how their actions might hurt or affect others.

Unfortunately, for most of us, that desire to be accepted doesn’t dissipate when we grow up. By the time we’re adults, we’ve honed our skill of reading the crowd and learning how to blend in to become part of it.

Some of that is natural and good. When we move to a new state or start a new job, we observe our new environment and learn how to find our place and fit in. We make friends by learning what others like and are interested in and then try to emphasize areas of common ground. A sense of community is important and we want to feel that our part in it is valued. Paul even said, “I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some” (1 Cor. 9:22). He observed people and found ways to connect with them.

The problem comes when our desire for acceptance becomes a stronger motivation than our determination to be Christlike. It’s a fleshly thing and I imagine that, even as Christians, we all struggle with it at some point or in certain situations. For example:

• When our conversations around the water cooler at work are different than our conversations in the fellowship hall at church.
• When we put all kinds of effort into befriending, helping, and hanging out with the “cool kids” at church but barely offer a nod to those who are on the fringe or those who were converted through benevolent outreach.
• When we use edgy or worldly humor around some to get a laugh but present a more spiritual tone around an elder’s wife.

What’s the difference between these scenarios and Paul’s declaration? Paul had one clear goal and that was saving souls. He never compromised his faith or integrity. He wasn’t trying to be liked or fit in or gain a following (1 Cor. 1:10-15). In all of his efforts to reach others, He first determined to look like the Christ he was representing.

So how does one “become all things to all people” without becoming a chameleon (presenting a different face in different situations)?

• Pray for pure motives. While being accepted is nice, our objective in all of our interactions should be, “What can I do to point the way to Heaven?” If we take the focus off of self, it will help remove the temptation to compromise in order to be liked (Gal. 2:20).
• See people as Jesus did. Think about everyone He interacted with. The Samaritan woman at the well (John 4). Zacchaeus (Luke 19). The woman who was a sinner (Luke 7). Jesus wasn’t worried about what other people thought about Him, even when His own disciples questioned His actions. Jesus could have blended in, like a chameleon, for self-preservation. But He was more worried about what others needed. Who’s sitting alone in the pew where you worship? Who goes to an empty table at the fellowship meals? Who can you invite to lunch that probably isn’t being invited? Who is being ignored where you work because their life got messy and it made them mean? Jesus SAW people and went out of His way to get to them.
• Be genuine. Paul was the same with everyone but Peter stumbled in this area. He was nice enough to the Gentiles until certain Jews came around. Then he snubbed them. He would “draw back and separate himself from them.” Paul rightly accused Peter of playing the hypocrite (Gal. 2:11-14). When others see us, it should be a given that we will be warm and friendly to them, every time, as often as we can, no matter who’s around. If we’re only thoughtful toward certain people, we’re not really thoughtful, are we?
• Protect souls. Peter’s actions lead others to ignore the Gentiles, too. Even friendly Barnabas followed Peter’s example. I imagine this had to leave a bad taste of Christianity in the mouths of those Gentiles. If we’re interested in getting others to Heaven, we will be very careful of our own influence when it comes to how we treat everyone around us. We will be protective of others. This means we will protect the souls of the worldly by trying to influence them with Christlike behavior. We will protect the souls of the less fortunate by doing our best to make them feel wanted and worthwhile. We will protect the souls of those who are on the social fringe by widening our circle to include them. We must lead the way in this!

Jesus had an inner circle but He often left them to make His way to the those who were shunned. Jesus had a comfort zone but He left it to come to earth to reach us. As much as He loved others, He didn’t always feel like being the one to make the sacrifice (remember His prayer in the garden?) but He did it anyway. And the result? Saved souls, genuine relationships, eternal acceptance.

Kathy Pollard

I recently saw a man wearing a tee shirt that said, “A time to remember, if only we could.” That really hit home for some reason. I suspect that the idea may have been in reference to the present state of our nation; but to me, it meant more about the Christian life.

For a moment, I’d like you to think about the following statements and see if any apply to you:

• How it felt to be new in a school, neighborhood, church
• How it felt to be alone with a group of strangers
• How it felt to lose a loved one
• How it felt to sit alone at the hospital
• How it felt to stay up all night with a crying baby or sick child
• How it felt to have to eat alone
• How it felt to be afraid
• How it felt to be hungry
• How it felt to be lied to or lied about
• How it felt to be bullied
• How it felt to have no one to talk to

All of us have had some of the above experiences, and we can relate to those feelings. We can be assured that all of those situations exist with someone on a daily basis. Many that we encounter everyday could relate to some, if not all, of them.

The question for us is, what do we do about it? Do we feel any compulsion to do anything? I suggest that this is a service any Christian can do and bring a lot of joy to friends, neighbors, and even strangers.

I suspect the apostle Paul knew a lot about those things listed above. He writes a lot about the treatment of others, and I think he understood the fear, loneliness, hunger, and mistreatment we are thinking about.

In Ephesians 4, Paul wrote, “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (verses 1-3 ESV). He is in prison, and he is urging the Christians in Ephesus to live like Christians, being humble, gentle, patient, and support one another. Look at the list, and see what Paul’s instructions would support. At the end of the chapter, he says, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (verse 32). That takes care of several more.

In order to carry out Paul’s instructions, we need some adjustment in our attitude. He helps us with this too. He says, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:3-5).

Let’s remember two other things:

• How it felt to be a new Christian
• How it felt to be a part of teaching someone the truth

Do you remember? I do. Being clean from all sin, and sharing the gospel with others are two of the greatest joys on this earth. If you don’t remember, then you may need some advice from James, the earthly brother of Jesus. He said, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at this natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like” (James 1:22-24). One must attend to the responsibilities of a Christian, or he will forget what started him on this path.

Paul gives us a list that we can keep close to us in our minds and in our everyday lives. He says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another” (Galatians 5:22-26). All of these will aid us in remembering what it is like to need someone.

To sum it all up, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32). It is a time to remember. If only we could! 

Sandra Oliver

Matthew 13:14  “You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.”

Jesus of Nazareth spent his ministry surrounded by people eager to hear His every word. Surely, there were times Jesus retold parables. Perhaps some could even quote the punch lines, but did they comprehend His message? Did they draw correct conclusions?

My friend, Beth, was looking for a new job and quite discouraged. Eventually, she accepted a wonderful position with an inner-city elementary school. Not long afterwards, Beth stopped by the house and recounted the craziest incident that had taken place at her new school.

Apparently, a totally unclothed man with mental health issues broke into the school and streaked through the hallways. Immediately, all classrooms were put on lock-down while police arrived and arrested him. Local camera crews arrived as the man was handcuffed. My daughter and I listened in total shock to Beth’s drama.

The following day, my sister stopped by for a visit, and my daughter, in her most dramatic rendition, retold Beth’s unbelievable new-job story, including all the crazy parts of the streaker, the lock-down, the police, and the lead story on the news. Her aunt listened intently with the same expression of shock on her face as did we when we first heard it. My daughter dramatically ended the story, awaiting her reaction.

Soon, an unexpected reply came from her aunt. “Did Beth get a job?”

My daughter stood stunned by this unforeseen response. “Is that what you got from my story? Did you miss the part about the streaker, the lock-down, the arrest, and the news coverage?”

Surely there were many times Jesus felt my daughter’s frustration. Certainly, He wanted to say to his audience, “Is that what you got from my parable?” for His listeners could not hear with their ears nor see with their eyes. Their hearts toward truth were calloused and hardened (Matthew 13:15). And, Jesus knew a heart refusing to comprehend and accept God’s Word is the choice of the listener.

Are we hearing God’s Word with a heart eager to soak up instruction, know His love, and understand His calling? Do we have the desire of the Psalmist who prayed, “Open my eyes so that I can see all the wonderful things in your teachings?” (Psalm 119:18) Or, have we chosen a hard and calloused heart, making no attempt to experience God’s saving grace? Sisters may our hearts crave to know God’s real story every single time we open His Word.

Father God, help us come to fully know your will with a heart that soaks up the true meaning of your Word.

Blessings,

Rita Cochrane